Once again, the intrepid Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. – in close proximity with the algorithmic alchemists from XTRENDS – prepare to go boldly forward into the past to analyze the MARCH survey. This is not a task we take lightly. Fates and fortunes rest on the outcomes of these monthly report cards. Plus, there are many curious eyeballs that are simply here to witness the carnage. Like rubbernecking on the interstate. This book ran from MARCH 2nd through MARCH 29th. It featured the semi-annual time change, an equinox, a lot of folks pretending to be IRISH, and the holy holiday of Ramadan. Here’s how it went…
HOUSTON-GALVESTON: Keep On The Sunny Side
March is an applicable term when discussing the 6+ fortunes of iHEARTMEDIA AC KODA (SUNNY 99.1). The station was #1 in the market by its usual wide margin (8.0-9.0). Two stations were in the trail position at #2. COX MEDIA Classic Rock KGLK (THE EAGLE 106.9 & 107.5) remained in place as it returned most of last month’s solid increase (6.9-6.2). AUDACY Adult Hits KKHH (95.7 THE SPOT) moved up a, uh, spot with its fourth up book in a row (6.1-6.2). COX MEDIA Country KKBQ (THE NEW 93Q) had its best outing in over a year (5.0-5.9) to move from #6 to #4. KSBJ EDUCATIONAL Christian Contemporary KSBJ slipped to #5 (6.0-5.6), while iHEARTMEDIA Alternative KTBZ (94.5 THE BUZZ) slipped to #7 (5.6-4.9). As always, KODA had the largest cume (1,616,800-1,668,700) – a 3.2% increase. The market was up by 1.6%.
For the tenth book in a row, KODA was #1 25-54. The station also hit double-digits for the fourth time in the last five surveys. Granted, a couple of those books featured the soulful stylings of THE TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA, but the station has done quite well with its regular playlist. KKHH was up to #2 with its highest mark since OCTOBER but was still nearly four shares off the pace. KKBQ again posted its largest share in over a year as it advanced from #6 to #3. KTBZ slipped to #4 with its smallest share since APRIL, while KSBJ slid to #5. CUMULUS Top 40/M KRBE dipped to #6 as it ended a strong two-book surge.
There were several wild ratings swings in the 18-34 competition. KTBZ was both #1 and in double digits for the second straight survey. KODA, which slipped to #4 last month as it ended an eight-book winning streak, bounced back this month and clawed its way up to #2. It was about two shares off the lead. KKHH could not repeat last month’s double-digit performance as it dipped to #3. KGLK returned all of last month’s massive share increase – plus a bit more – as it stepped down to #4. It was tied with AUDACY Country KILT (100.3 THE BULL), which moved up from #5 with a slight increase. AUDACY Spanish Contemporary KLOL (MEGA 101 FM) slipped to #6 where it was met by KKBQ, which advanced from #9.
Last survey, KTBZ narrowly defeated KODA for the 18-49 crown. This time KODA recaptured the flag and landed a double-digit share. KTBZ slipped to #2 with a noticeable share loss. KKHH repeated at #3 but with a down book. KKBQ moved up to #4 as it ended a two-book slide, while KRBE remained at #5 as it gave back most of last month’s large increase. KGLK dipped to #6 where it was with TELEVISAUNIVISION Spanish Adult Hits KOVE (AMOR 106.5), which vaulted from #13.
ATLANTA: Take Me To The River
For the third straight survey, COX MEDIA Classic Hits WSRV (97.1 THE RIVER) rose above the competition to remain #1 6+ (8.1-8.3). The station also picked up an additional 0.7 share with its stream. Though URBAN ONE Urban AC WAMJ (MAJIC 107.5/97.5) was down for the fourth straight survey, it managed to hold on to its #2 ranking, also for the third straight survey (7.6-7.5). COX MEDIA N/T WSB-A repeated at #3 (7.2-6.6), while COX MEDIA AC WSB (B98.5) stepped up to #4 as it ended a two-book slide (5.8-6.0). COX MEDIA Urban AC WALR (KISS 104.1) dipped to #5 (6.0-5.9). URBAN ONE Urban WHTA (HOT 107.9) landed its largest share in over a year (4.0-5.6) as it moved up to #6. A year ago, the station was at #15 with a 2.2 share. Thanks to a 5.9% increase, WSB was back at #1 in the cume wars (823,400-871,800). The market grew by 0.7%.
The top three 25-54 stations were separated by less than a half share. WAMJ landed in first place for the ninth book in a row but was, uh, feeling the heat from WHTA, which leapt three places to #2 with its highest score in over a year. Not far behind at #3 was WSRV, which rebounded from a down book. WSB repeated at #4 with its highest mark since JUNE. A flat AUDACY Urban AC WVEE (V-103) slipped to #5. No other station was within a share and a half of cracking the top five.
There was a threesome atop the 18-34 leaderboard, and none of the stations were there last month. WVEE stepped up from #2, while WSRV arrived from #3. Both stations had down books. WHTA advanced from #7 with its best book since SEPTEMBER. Last month’s leader was WSB. It slid to #4 with its lowest total since SEPTEMBER. WAMJ dipped to #5 with a small decrease and was paired with WALR, which rose from #9 and just two books ago the station was sitting at #13. It has more than doubled its share since then. CUMULUS Top 40/M WWWQ (Q99.7) slid from #4 to #7 where it hung out with iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/M WWPW (POWER 96.1) and SALEM Christian Contemporary WFSH (104.7 THE FISH).
You may have seen this coming. WHTA jumped from #5 to #1 18-49 with its largest share in over a year. This ended the two-book winning streak for WSB, which dipped to #2 despite a slight increase. The stations were separated by less than a half share. WSRV dipped to #3 with a slight decrease and was tied with a flat WAMJ. WVEE stepped down to #5 but with a slight increase.
WASHINGTON, D.C.: Double Your Fun
AMERICAN UNIVERSITY N/T WAMU continues to run roughshod over the 6+ multiverse. The station continued its long uninterrupted #1 streak and hit double digits for – get this – the twelfth straight survey (12.1-12.0). HUBBARD News WTOP was back at #2 with its largest share in over a year (8.9-9.0). That means over a fifth of radio listening in our nation’s capital tune in for the news and related programming. iHEARTMEDIA AC WASH was the leading music station as it stepped up to #3 (6.5-7.0), while ATLANTIC GATEWAY Christian Contemporary WGTS dipped to #4 as it ended a robust two-book surge (7.3-5.9). Two fierce rivals found themselves staring at each other. HOWARD UNIVERSITY Urban AC WHUR had its best outing since NOVEMBER to remain at #5 (4.5-5.5). URBAN ONE Urban AC WMMJ (MAJIC 102.7/92.7) posted its best number since JULY to move up from #6 (4.3-5.5). WASH still had the most cume, despite an 8.6% decrease (882,900-807,300). The market was up a modest 0.5%.
WASH had its best Frosty-free 25-54 share in over a year as it jumped from #3 to #1. WAMU remained at #2 as it rebounded from a down book. The stations were less than a half share distant. This ended the two-book winning streak for WGTS as it slipped to #3 with a large share loss. After a couple of less-than-stellar books, WHUR came roaring back as it advanced from #7 to #4. AUDACY Urban WPGC repeated at #5 with a slight decrease. URBAN ONE Urban WKYS landed its smallest share in over a year as it fell from #4 to #11.
Two stations were leading the 18-34 charge. WAMU was #1 and in double digits for the third straight survey. WPGC was a solid #2, despite a down book. The station was about four shares off the lead but led the rest of the field by two and a half shares. WGTS stepped up to #3 despite returning most of last month’s huge increase. iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/M WIHT (HOT 99.5) also advanced to #3 – from #7 – with its best performance since NOVEMBER. WHUR was back at #5 and was joined by iHEARTMEDIA Alternative WWDC (DC101), which moved up from #8 as it bounced back from a down book, and WKYS, which slipped from #3. WASH dropped from #5 to #8.
WAMU had its best 18-49 book in over a year as it stepped up to #1, narrowly defeating WASH, which moved up to #2 with its highest Frosty-free mark since JUNE. This ended the two-book winning streak for WGTS, which dropped down to #3. WPGC was up to #4 with a small decrease but was two shares behind those top three stations. WWDC inched up to #5 with a slight increase. WHUR also landed at #5 – from #8 – with its best showing since AUGUST. WKYS slid from #4 to #9, where it was in league with AUDACY Classic Hits WIAD (94.7 THE DRIVE).
PHILADELPHIA: Back-To-Back
iHEARTMEDIA Urban AC WDAS was the 6+ champion for the second book in a row, logging its highest share since SEPTEMBER (6.7-7.2). Coming in as a close #2 once again was BEASLEY Classic Rock WMGK, which rebounded from a down book (6.6-6.9). AUDACY News KYW stepped up to #3 (5.9-6.2). AUDACY Classic Hits WOGL (BIG 98.1) was up two slots to #4 with its highest share in over a year (5.7-5.8). AUDACY AC WBEB (B101.1) also had a two-slot improvement from #7 to #5 (5.5-5.6). It was tied with BEASLEY Active Rock WMMR, which slipped from #3 (6.0-5.6). WHYY INC Public Radio WHYY had its best outing since JUNE to become a very close #7 (4.8-5.4). AUDACY Sports WIP scored its lowest number since JULY as it dropped to #8 (5.9-4.7). However, the station did pick up an additional 1.5 share from its stream. WBEB still had the most listeners (1,008,100-1,024,800) – a 1.7% increase. The market was off by 0.3%.
Though it was down for the second book in a row, WMMR remained a very strong #1 25-54 for the third straight survey. It held a full share lead over WDAS, which stepped up to #2 with its best outing since AUGUST. Two stations moved up and into a tie at #3. WHYY also had its largest share since AUGUST as it stepped up from #4, while BEASLEY Adult Hits WBEN (95.7 BEN FM) advanced from #5 with its third up book in a row. iHEARTMEDIA Urban WUSL (POWER 99) landed its largest share in over a year as it rocketed up the chart from #11 to #5. WIP slid four places to #6.
WUSL had its best 18-34 book since MAY, which launched the station from #5 to #1. It was a half share ahead of the two stations lurking at #2. WDAS remained in place with its highest score in exactly a year, while iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/M WIOQ (Q102) slipped from #1, despite landing its fourth consecutive up book. WBEB slid to #4 with its smallest share in over a year, while a flat WOGL moved up to #5. WBEN dropped from #2 to #8 where it was paired with WHYY.
WDAS had its best book since JULY to become the #1 18-49 station. This ended the two-book winning streak for WMMR, which dipped to #2 with its lowest total in over a year. The next two stations on the list landed their largest shares in a year. WUSL leapt from #8 to #3, while WHYY advanced from #7 to #4. WBEN dipped to #5 as it ended a solid two-book surge. WIP had its lowest score since JULY as it fell three places to #6, while WBEB landed its smallest share in over a year to slip to #7.
BOSTON: A Three-peat
BEASLEY Sports WBZ (98.5 THE SPORTS HUB) continued to lap the 6+ field as it finished in first place for the third book in a row (7.5-8.1). BEASLEY Classic Hits WROR came in at a distant #2 again (6.2-6.1), while iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/M WXKS (KISS 108) repeated at #3 (5.4-5.5). AUDACY AC WMJX (MAGIC 106.7) maintained its grip on the #4 position (5.1-4.9), while BOSTON UNIVERSITY Public Radio WBUR was up two places to #5 with its highest mark in exactly a year (4.5-4.7). iHEARTMEDIA Classic Rock WZLX slipped to #6 with its lowest total since DECEMBER (5.1-4.6). WMJX retained the cume crown with a 2.6% increase (820,200-841,300). The market was essentially flat.
WBZ continued to be the dominant force with the 25-54 crowd. The station was #1 for the third book in a row (only SANTA could stop the charge) and finished in double digits for the twelfth time in the last 14 surveys. WXKS was back at #2 but trailed the leader by almost five shares! AUDACY Hot AC WWBX (MIX 104.1) was up for the third book in a row – a streak that has taken the station from #11 to its most recent location at #3. BEASLEY Rhythmic AC WBQT (HOT 96.9) slipped to #4, where it was joined by WZLX. Both stations experienced modest share losses.
Last month, WXKS and WBZ were tied at #2 18-34. WXKS landed its largest share since JULY to win the demo, while WBZ remained a very close #2 as it bounced back from a down book. This dynamic duo was about three shares ahead of the next closest pursuer. That would be WBQT, which dropped from #1 as it returned all of last month’s huge share increase, plus a lot more. WZLX stepped up to #4 as it rebounded from a down book, while BEASLEY Country WKLB advanced three spaces to #5 with its highest mark since AUGUST. iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/R WJMN (JAM’N 94.5) fell four places to #8 as it ended a strong two-book surge.
WBZ just absolutely owns the 18-49 demo. The station was #1 for the thirteenth time in the last 14 surveys – a streak interrupted by the likes of BURL IVES. The station was also in double digits for the thirteenth time in that span. WXKS was back at #2 with a slight increase but trailed the leader by nearly four shares. WBQT repeated at #3, though with a rather large share loss. It was not very far ahead of a flat WWBX, which remained the #4 station. WMJX was still sitting at #5 with a slight decrease, while WKLB dipped to #7.
This concludes the content portion of this here missive. Thank you for reading along. The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. will return shortly with the results from SEATTLE, MIAMI, PHOENIX, DETROIT and MINNEAPOLIS.
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